I recently had a new neighbor. He bought a plot that had been abandoned for several years and started construction. We often meet with him and discuss everyday matters. With the onset of cold weather, the neighbor thought about how to conduct water to the site so that it does not freeze in severe frosts.
I decided to share my method, which I successfully use on the site. And since the neighbor now knows, I'll tell you too!
Nuances when laying pipes
Initially, you need to pay attention to the competent laying of pipes from the well (well). Here you should take into account how much the soil freezes in winter. The pipeline should be run below this mark.
When laying, make a small incline towards the well. Thanks to this, the water will be able to drain back, will not stagnate in the pipes and, accordingly, will not freeze.
In some Russian regions, the soil freezes too deep. Therefore, it is very difficult and problematic to dig a pit. In such a case, the second method will help, which I will discuss below.
Arrange pipe heating
Since I was not able to lay the pipes at sufficient depth, I resorted to alternative methods. Initially, I thought to insulate pipe sections outside the house. However, this would only reduce heat loss. If the thermometers drop too low, the water in the pipes will turn to ice. I had to look for other options. Heating cables have recently become popular among summer residents.
A number of advantages of this method of insulation can be distinguished:
- material costs are small;
- installation of a heating cable does not require special skills;
- the cable can be laid when installing a new pipeline or on old pipes.
I decided to try a polyolefin-coated cable as it saves the cable from all kinds of damage.
The main options for cable laying:
· In the form of a spiral;
· Directly along the entire pipeline from the outside;
· A straight line inside the pipes.
I liked the spiraling method. I figured that this way the pipes would heat up evenly. It is noteworthy that in winter there is no need to keep the cable plugged in all the time. You just need to warm up the pipeline when it's too cold outside.